Sunbeams and Snowflakes
by Hanakosong
Summary: Jack is just a normal teenage boy in his village, living with his mother and younger sister. But when the village begins the annual Festival of the Sun, Jack meets someone new and everything starts to change. (Rated T to be safe)
1. From a Distance

The village was never a very large place, never had much excitement occur in the midst of the daily lives that went on through the small cluster of houses. The pilgrims were always rather confined, always fearing the darkness of the woods that surrounded them. Many villagers claimed that at night, when only light of the moon and their warm fires broke through the inky darkness, whispers could be heard on the wind and shuddering breaths of air would blow throughout the houses. A few even claimed to hear a chorus of dark laughter and horses' whinnies coming from the darkness of the trees. But during the hours of daylight, the village would discard the suspicions of the darkness and became lively with neighbors chatting animatedly amongst themselves and children squealing and running around in a playful manner.

There was almost always a reason to smile in the village, and around this time of year when the snow was beginning to thin out on the ground and the air turned warmer as winter finally relinquished it's grip on the land, there were many reasons for joy among the village. There had been plenty of food that winter to sustain them and only one elder had died among them in the cold, harsh season. Even the darkness of the woods at night had seemed less and less threatening. Villagers had stopped talking of the dark laughter and cold winds at night everyday and was only brought up on particularly harsh winter nights. And now with winter leaving the behind for the warmer nights of spring and soon summer, those worries were beginning to fade away.

On a particularly bright, crisp morning with snow thin on the ground and the sun's rays piercing through the slight layer of clouds, a young woman with long, straight brown hair was carrying a large woven basket filled with flowers across the small clearing that served as the center of the village. She had a brown shawl draped across her shoulders to shield herself against the last of the cold wind of the season. She glanced around her load to smile down at the small girl who trotted alongside her, the girl's brown dress flouncing around her ankles as she skipped.

The young woman smiled and looked up, only to have the smile drop from her face as she looked around. Stopping and turning in the direction she had been coming from, the woman sighed. "Now where did your brother get to, Emma?"

Emma peeked around her mother's legs at the thick wood of trees they had been collecting flowers in a few minutes ago. Her large, liquid brown eyes began to water as she realized her brother wasn't behind them. The young mother, noticing Emma's reaction quickly put down her basket and scooped up the small girl.

"Now, now, Emma, don't cry," she soothed in a gentle voice. "I'm sure your brother just got distracted by climbing a tree again." The younger woman gave Emma a bounce and smiled. "Let's go look for him, okay? I'm sure he isn't too far behind."

The young woman began to carry Emma towards the trees, her grip tightening ever so slightly around her young daughter at the thought of going back into the forest. She had been able to go into the woods that morning because she was with her son. Her son always made her feel more secure in the forest because of his strong presence and his natural aura of safety. The mother couldn't explain it, but he just made her and Emma feel protected.

The two girls didn't have to go to far before a form dropped from a thick tree branch above them, swinging from the large arm of the tree, which he had his legs slung over to hold him upside down. The mother started and jumped backwards, clutching Emma tightly to her. Huffing in annoyance and relief, she watched as her son crowed with laughter, before turning himself right side up and dropped lightly to the ground, brushing off the stray clumps of ice and pine needles that clung to his cloak

The boy had scruffy brown hair that matched the color of the young mother and daughter standing before him along with the same large brown eyes set to his face. The boy's eyes, however, were filled with the sparkle of mischief and youth, despite his teenage appearance. The boy laughed at his mother's stern gaze as he approached them.

"Oh, come on Mother," the boy said with enthusiasm thick in his voice and a bounce to his step. "I'm sorry I fell behind again but I found the most amazing little pond back in the woods a bit and I couldn't help but test the surface to see if we could skate on it. It was-"

"You what?" The mother cut him off quickly, panic rising in her voice. "Don't you know you could have fallen in if the ice wasn't thick enough to hold your weight? Do you purposely try to scare the life out of me? What if you had fallen in? You would have left me and Emma all alone just like-"

The young boy's eyes grew wide and serious as the mother was forced to stop when her voice cracked, covering her mouth with a hand as she clutched a confused Emma with her other arm. The boy's face softened and he walked up to his mother, resting his hands comfortingly on her shoulders.

"Hey, Mother," he said quietly, trying for a smile. "I'm sorry about that, I can't promise to stop being curious, but I will definitely be more careful, that I can promise. I won't leave like Father did," he whispered.

The mother looked up at her son and smiled through her misty eyes. "I know you won't, you're too kind-hearted to do something like that. And you love your little sister far too much to leave her behind."

The boy smiled and turned to his littler sister who was staring at her mother and older brother with confusion and innocence lighting her young eyes. When the boy looked at her she broke into a grin and reached for him. "Brother!" she cooed happily.

The boy laughed and took Emma from his mother's arms and gave her a little toss up into the air. Squealing, Emma clung to Jack once he had caught her and giggled fitfully as he started to tickle her.

The mother watched her children for a moment with affection sparkling in her eyes before she walked back over to her basket and scooped it up. Turning to look over her shoulder the mother called back to her son, "Don't stay outside for too long, Jack! Remember it isn't fully spring yet and you could still catch a cold!"

Jack looked up at his mother as he put Emma down so he could start chasing her throughout the village. "I know, Mother! I'll have us in to help with the preparations for the festival in a few minutes!"

* * *

Jack came bursting into the little log cabin that was his family's home, Emma slung over his shoulder where she was giggling madly. Jack whooped with delight and flipped Emma over so she was right side up and then placed her on the floor so she could run over to their mother. Jack smiled as he shut the door and followed his sister deeper into the small house.

The little cabin was filled with the warmth of the fire that burned in their hearth and the sharp smell of burning pinewood. Jack shed his cloak and hung it up near the fire before helping his sister with her shawl. Emma smiled up at her brother and then reached into the basket that was set beside their mother, grasping a handful of the early spring blossoms piled up inside.

Jack peered over his mother's head, placing his hands on her shoulders as he did so he could look at her work. His mother, along with the rest of the women of the village, had gone out the day before and that morning to the forest to gather up flowers so they could bring them back and weave them into the intricate chains that they would then hang up all over the village. The roofs would be lined with blossoms as well as doors, mantles of the hearth in everyone's home, and especially the decoration that would be placed in the center of their little village.

Every year, the village would set up a large pole with an intricate bronze sun adorning the top and connect long flower chains from the tip of the pole to the ground below. It was the crowning jewel of the Festival of Spring that the village had had every year since they had settled here.

The festival lasted for a week and was a time to be merry and enjoy the warming weather as the villagers celebrated the life coming back to the forest and darkness that wouldn't haunt them as often as it did in the cold months of winter. There would be food, music, light, and happy chatter throughout the entire week. But the main events of the Festival were the Lighting of the Lanterns and the Village Dance. The Lighting of the Lanterns was on the first day of the Festival and happened around sundown. The villagers would each be given a lantern to hang either outside or inside their homes to bring light to their little village in an array of colorful lanterns that were kept lit all through the Festival. The Village Dance took place halfway through the Festival and was when all the young children and teenagers of the village got the night to themselves to dance until dawn with each other in the village center to the tunes provided by the musicians in the village.

Jack smiled back down at his mother and nodded his approval of the colorful string of flowers she was weaving before moving over towards the fire, holding his hands out to the dancing flames. Jack sat and watched as the orange tongues of fire licked away at the wood and listened to the soft snapping sounds that emitted from the burning logs.

"Jack?" called his mother, snapping him from his trance. Jack turned to look at his mother and immediately felt the sting of cooler air nipping at his fire-warmed cheeks. Jack rubbed at his cheeks to keep them warm as he asked, "Yes, Mother?"

Jack's mother smiled at his actions and shook her head as she chuckled. "Would you mind fetching more wood for the fire from out back? With the Festival starting tomorrow I don't know if we will remember to grab some for the pile with all that will be going on."

Jack nodded and stood, moving to grab his cloak from the chair he had hung it over. Fastening the button around his neck, Jack walked out of the small house and into the brisk air of the outdoors. Jack sighed and tried to rub some warmth into his arms. It wasn't even that cold out, but compared to the warmth of the fire he had previously been sitting in front of, it was pretty cold.

Jack walked around to the back of the house and piled up a stack of chopped wood into his arms before he started to head back towards the door. As Jack rounded the corner of his house, he spotted a girl emerging from a home on the opposite side of the village clearing. Stopping dead in his tracks, Jack stared across at her.

This was the first time Jack had seen the girl in the village. He was positive that she had grown up here with them since she looked about his age. She couldn't have been a random wanderer taken in by a family because news like that would have spread like a wildfire through the village within a day. As Jack took in her short brown hair and large green eyes, he watched as she shook out a dirty rag, leaning away from the small cloud of dust that rose from the rag.

The girl had a thin frame and a kind face that started to look around the village brightly. When her gaze fell on Jack, she stopped, their eyes locking and holding fast. As they stood there, Jack couldn't help but feel the ghost of a smile pull at his lips. He allowed the tug to pull his mouth in a friendly smile as he nodded across the clearing to her, still holding the wood for the fire he had momentarily forgotten about.

The girl smiled bashfully and ducked her head, tucking a loose strand of her short hair behind her ear. She looked up shyly and started to wave before giving a little jump. Looking over her shoulder, the girl said something into the house before turning back to look at Jack. She smiled once more before scurrying back into the house, closing the door behind her.

Jack smiled to himself and stood there with the pile of wood in his arms for a moment longer, lost in a sweet daydream about the girl he had just exchange smiles with. Her face seemed to radiate rays of light even with just the softest of smiles that she had graced him with.

For no apparent reason, Jack was suddenly snapped from his reverie, remembering that he was supposed to be bringing the wood he was holding into the house for the fire. Rushing the rest of the way to the door of his house, Jack nudged open the door and ducked inside.

As Jack shut the door behind him and made his way over to the hearth, his mother looked up from her weaving and gave him a quizzical look. "What took you so long? I would have thought you would have been in and out since you chopped wood yesterday. There's still enough right?" Jack glanced over at his mother from where he was depositing the wood into the rack next to the fireplace.

"No, Mother," he laughed. "There's still plenty of wood, don't worry. I just piled it in my arms wrong and dropped most of it so then I had to pick it up again." Jack didn't want to tell his mother about the girl because he knew how she would react. She would want to know everything about the girl so she could identify her from the village girls. But it wouldn't end there. No, his mother would then coax him into becoming closer with the girl he didn't even know and that would most likely lead to embarrassment on Jack's part. Better to keep it to quiet for now.

Jack watched as his mother visibly relaxed from the corner of his eye as she was reassured that they weren't running low on supplies before the Festival began. As Jack continued to put the firewood away, his mother and sister continued weaving their flowers.

The small family sat around the hearth for most of the day, weaving flowers into intricate chains and necklaces. Jack even found himself pitching in to help with the weaving when he was finished his chores around the house. They continued on this way until Jack's mother rose from her chair to prepare dinner for her family.

Their dinner passed as normal, nothing out of place, and once they had finished, the small family returned to their weaving of flowers. Soon, however, Emma was slumped over, head resting on Jack's lap and her flower chain bundled up on the ground before her as she slept. Jack set aside his weaving and stroked his younger sister's hair, smiling down at her peaceful face.

"So," Jack 's mother spoke up softly from where she was rocking softly in her rocking chair near the fire. "Who's the girl you met?"

Jack looked up sharply, confusion and embarrassment flashing across his features. "W-what do you mean?" he stuttered out.

Jack's mother looked up at him with a knowing smile playing at her lips. She set aside her flowers and stood, walking over to sit next to Jack on the floor, smiling at Emma as well. "Don't pretend, Jack. I'm familiar with the look I saw in your eyes when you came back from getting firewood. And I know you, as you're my son. You never stack the wood so haphazardly that you would end up dropping it. Also," she smirked. "I never heard the wood clatter from falling over. So I will ask again. Who's the girl?"

Jack ducked his head and felt a flush creep across his cheeks. "I-I don't know, actually. I don't really remember seeing her around the village before. But she lives across the clearing and she's got short brown hair and looks about my age. She also has these really big green eyes." Looking up at his mother, Jack knew that he couldn't hide it from her as he had originally planned. "Do you know who she is?"

Jack's mother tapped her chin in thought. "I think I have seen her around once or twice, but she's hardly ever outside. I don't know if it's because she's sickly or if she's restricted or she just doesn't go outside. But all I know about her is that she is about your age and she lives with the Widow Gothel." Jack's mother fixed her gaze on something across the room, but she was only looking not seeing, seeing something from somewhere else. "I remember Gothel well, I told Gothel about her husband before they married, in fact, they were one of the first couples I matched together, and they were perfect for each other. The village was devastated when her husband passed and she would always refuse my suggestions for another husband, insisting that her perfect other half was already gone and that she belonged only to him."

Jack's mother was the unofficial matchmaker of the village. Almost everyone came to see her at least once or twice, seeking her guidance and skill at matching for marriage. His mother knew everyone in the village and knew their personalities, their likes and dislikes, their pasts, everything. Every family seemed to be connected to Jack's and in the village where everyone knew everyone, being at the center of every connection made Jack feel uncomfortable at times. It was why he went off on his own so often, finding comfort in the solidarity.

Jack looked up at his mother with desperate eyes. "So, what should I do? She looks like a nice person and I want to get to know her." Jack couldn't understand the allure he felt from this girl across the village, but he decided to follow it anyway and see where it took him. Perhaps it was time to take his mother's advice and follow his heart.

Jack's mother could tell that even without her opinion, Jack had made his choice, and she smiled. Reaching forwards, she scooped up the sleeping form of Emma and stood to carry Emma to her bed.

Jack watched his mother vanish deeper into the house with Emma before turning back to the fire. He watched the dancing flames for a moment, thinking about the girl from across the clearing as he did. He decided that he would take advantage of the festival and get to know her. Glancing over at a small pile of flowers that had been discarded next to his mother's basket, Jack got an idea. Reaching for the colorful buds, Jack began to weave them together in an intricate pattern.

When he had finished, Jack held his little creation in the firelight and smiled, proud of his work. Jack set the ring of flowers aside in a safe place before standing and stretching his arms above his head, an enormous yawn escaping from Jack as he wandered back to his bed.

As he collapsed onto his pillow, Jack smiled to himself, thinking about tomorrow and meeting the girl from across the clearing.

* * *

**A/N: So yep, here's my story. I'll try to update soon for you all who read this. :) If you wanna talk to me, contact me on my Tumblr (glowinglanternsgleam .tumblr .com) And if you guys find any big mistakes please just let me know! ^^**


	2. The Festival Begins

Jack's eyelids fluttered open heavily, the muscles in his eyes screaming at him to relax and let his eyes fall shut to blissful slumber once again. But he persisted through the desire and heaved open his lids, his eyes bleary with sleep and fatigue. Jack sat up, the motion making his sleepy body feel lethargic and sore. Stretching his lanky arms over his head in an attempt to loosen up his muscles and joints, Jack felt an enormous yawn escape his mouth. Lowering his arms, a slight shiver trembled its way through Jack's body, causing him to tense up slightly and wish that he could curl up underneath his warm blanket again.

Jack almost did curl back up underneath his blanket when two things sprung to the forefront of his mind that persuaded him to leave the warm haven of his bed. The first was that today was the start of the Festival of the Sun, which meant he would be able to meet the girl from across the village and get to know her. During the entire week of the Festival, the children did not have school and the men did not have to work in the fields until the last day of the Festival, when they worked in the warmer night air by the moonlight. The second thing that drew Jack from his bed was the rich, enticing scent of cooking meat that wafted through the small house, cluing Jack into knowing that his mother was making a special breakfast for the first day of the Festival.

Jack hauled himself out of bed after his short contemplation on his motives for doing so, tugging a clean shirt on over his head and shrugging on his usual earthy brown colored vest. Dragging his feet, Jack trudged sleepily out to the main room of the house, yawning and rubbing his eyes as he plunked down on one of the wooden chairs around their table.

Hearing his mother's soft chuckle, Jack looked up at her through his bleary eyes as she set down a plate of bread and ham on the table before him. Jack smiled sleepily up at his mother as she kissed his forehead before bustling back over to the fireplace to continue with her cooking.

"It appears you slept well," his mother commented with a hint of laughter in her voice. Jack looked over at his mother and smiled before chuckling out his answer, "Yes, Mother, I did."

Jack began to eat his food while his mother informed him about his small load of chores he had to finish before he could go and enjoy the festival. Jack quickly finished off his plate and carried it over to the wash bin to be cleaned later. Jack kissed his mother's cheek before heading deeper in the back of the house to rouse his sister. Jack quietly walked into his sister's sleeping area and smiled as he looked over her sleeping form. The blanket was strewn haphazardly across the bed from his sister's restless sleeping habits and she had her face buried into the pillow, her deep breathing telling Jack that she was still completely asleep.

Jack crossed over to Emma's bed and knelt down next to her, gently laying his hand on her shoulder and shaking her softly. Jack watched with amusement as his sister curled up even tighter underneath her blanket, giving him a soft groan of protest and batting listlessly at his hand. Chuckling, Jack moved his hand from Emma's shoulder to her stomach and began tickling her through the blanket, enticing a fit of giggles from her. Squealing, Emma sprang from the bed and into Jack, taking them both over as they tumbled backwards, laughing cheerily as they did.

Jack wrapped Emma up tightly in his arms and held her tightly, preventing her from escaping, laughing as she squirmed and squealed, trying to free herself before her brother began tickling her again.

Jack's mother appeared behind them, shaking her head and laughing warmly at her children. "Alright you two, it's time to get cleaned up for breakfast. Save your tickle fight for later."

Jack pulled himself to his feet, helping his giggling sister up after him and sending her off to the wash bin in the corner of the kitchen. Jack and Emma washed up together and then sat down to the breakfast their mother had made. Once they had finished, Jack helped Emma into her boots and cloak so she could roam the Festival. Watching her skip out of the house at their mother's side, Jack smiled as he grabbed his cloak and followed them out, knowing that today would be a good day.

* * *

Jack stepped out of the house, shrugging on his cloak so it sat comfortably on his shoulders, closing the door behind him. As he turned to look out over the village clearing, he found himself in awe, as he was every year. The clearing was bright and cheerful with flower chains strung on every available surface and colorful lanterns and drapes hung all over the houses and short buildings in the little village.

Checking his pocket for the little bracelet of flowers he had made before heading out into the clearing after his mother and sister. Jack searched through the already accumulating crowd in the village clearing, seeking out the girl with the short brown hair and dazzling green eyes. Weaving through the crowds, Jack bounced on his toes and raked his eyes through the crowds, searching feverently for the girl.

About fifteen minutes later, Jack slumped against the wall of a house, a heavy sigh slipping from him as he closed his eyes and rested his head against the wood. Jack hadn't been able to find the girl anywhere after his search through the townspeople. Everyone was here so it wasn't like he had missed her or anything. Jack slumped a little more, defeat evident on his features. He had been so eager to meet the girl from across the village.

Suddenly, an idea striking Jack, he straightened up and almost smacked himself for his stupidity. Jack pushed away from the wall and started walking around the edges of the crowds, making his way over to the other side of the village. Jack's mother had said that she hadn't often seen the girl around the village, so that meant she probably spent most of her time in her house. Jack found himself at the door of the girl's house, and his heart began to pound in his chest, making him fidget. Taking a deep breath, Jack raised his hand and knocked twice, sharp and quick, holding his breath.

A heartbeat passed before a soft voice called something out from the depths of the home, too soft for Jack to make out over the din and chatter that failed to cease or drop in volume behind him. He contemplated calling back to whoever was answering the door but before he could, the door was open.

Unprepared, Jack caught his breath sharply, feeling it stick for a moment in his chest. The girl was standing before him in a simple frock her shawl halfway on her shoulders and loosely tied around her chest. Her brown locks swished slightly from the gentle breeze that followed the opening of the door and her green orbs glittered in the sunlight. The girl's eyes visibly widened as she registered the boy before her. She dropped her gaze to the floor as a pink tinge crept its way across her cheeks.

"C-Can I help you?" she asked softly, her gaze still focused intently on the spot where the wooden floor met solid ground. She reached up and tucked a loose strand behind her ear, only to have the short piece of hair drop back down in her face.

Jack had to stare for a moment before he was able to compose himself enough to answer the simple question she posed. Clearing his throat in an awkward manner, Jack began fidgeting all over again.

"Um, yes, sorry. I was, um…well see I was just-" Jack cut himself off, taking a breath to try and formulate coherent thoughts, earning himself an odd glance from the girl. He noticed that her fingers were moving towards the door, obviously frightened of him and ready to slam the door shut on him.

Starting again, more calm this time, Jack looked at the girl and said, "I was wondering if you wanted to come out to the festival today."

The girl's shoulders tensed slightly and she looked up at Jack with curious and suspicious eyes. Composing herself, the girl took on a poker face and leaned slightly against the doorframe, raising her eyes to meet Jack's.

"Why would you come and ask me? There are plenty of other eligible young women in this village that I'm sure are just fawning over you."

The girl seemed to realize what she had just said and the pink tinge made its reappearance, only deeper in color this time around, eliciting a smirk from Jack when he realized that she had caught herself.

"N-No! I-I mean…it's just that…" the girl ducked her head and hugged her arms, completely humiliated by her blunder. Jack chuckled and rested a hand on her shoulder, feeling the slight muscles underneath his hand tense up at the gesture. Raising her eyes to his, Jack smiled softly and produced the little bracelet of flowers and removed his hand from her shoulder. He ducked his head, feeling embarrassed now as she had moments ago.

"I made this for you, as an invitation to come to the festival with me. I thought maybe you would like to go since the whole village will be there." Jack held out the bracelet to her and looked at his feet, his face feeling hot and his heart pounding in anticipation. It felt like he had been standing there for ages when he finally felt the girl's warm, slender fingers brush against his hand as she lifted the bracelet from his outstretched arms. Jack felt a small grin creep its way onto his face as he looked up at her.

Jack watched as she slid the little ring of flowers over her hand and let it settle on her slim wrists. She looked at Jack with those stunning green orbs again and smiled as well, her cheeks pink and her smile warm.

"I would love to accompany you to the festival," she said. But before Jack could celebrate, her face fell and her eyes dropped to the ground. "However, my mother hardly ever lets me out of the house. She's out at the festival right now, and then she's going to spend the day by my father's grave. But I'm not allowed to go to the festival."

Jack looked at the girl, crestfallen. "Well, that's not fair. Why doesn't she let you out?"

Sighing, the girl shifted her weight and fiddled with the bracelet Jack had given her. "She thinks I can't handle the outside world since I'm so slight and small. I've never been farther than a few feet from this door, and I'm not sure if I want to go further, or if I do. But I really want to go to the festival."

Jack could see the pained confusion glittering in the girl's eyes and he gave a soft smile and extended his hand towards her, causing her to look at him with confused yet hopeful eyes.

"You don't have to worry. I'll take you to the festival and make sure nothing happens. I'm in the village everyday and everyone here is so friendly and will look out for you if anything does happen. You don't have to be afraid of the world." Jack smiled as warmly as he could, keeping his hand extended to her.

Eventually, she smiled brightly and took hold of Jack's hand, letting him guide her from the doorway and down the small path leading to her house from the village square. Jack chuckled as she clung to his arm and looked around with wide, curious eyes. She had a slight bounce in her step as she walked, much like Jack often did. She kept giving little hops of excitement as she pointed at all the colorful banners and the little stands that some people had set up to sell fruits and sweets. Jack allowed her to drag him around to all the different stands, watching as she looked over everything and finally decided on wanting a small sweet cake, prompting Jack to get one as well.

As they walked, the young pair talked about various things, from what they liked to do in their spare time to their favorite season. Jack told her about his mother and sister and it was only when she asked Jack what their names were that Jack realized he hadn't asked what her name was yet.

"Hey, you never told me your name," he said as they passed a villager who was hawking his fruits to everyone that passed. The girl looked over at him and giggled.

"Sorry, I just think it's funny that we've spent this whole morning together only to realized that we don't know each other's names." Looking over at Jack with her shimmering green orbs, she smiled and said, "I'm Rapunzel."

"Jack," Jack smiled back at Rapunzel. "Your name is really pretty, I've never heard a name like it before." Jack watched as Rapunzel ducked her head and blushed, smiling shyly at his compliment. "T-thank you, Jack. I like your name too."

The young pair continued to walk around the festival, weaving through the crowds of villagers and smiling, talking, and laughing as they did. They talked about trifle things, nothing that either would remember much of the next day. The laughed as they watched the younger children chase each other around the square and smiled at each other while they did. At one point, a small cluster of children crowded around Jack's feet and tugged at his cloak, begging for him to swing them around in the air as he often did when playing with the children. Rapunzel stood to the side, giggling lightly as she watched Jack and the children.

Rapunzel couldn't help but stare at Jack's face, watching how it lit up with joy as he played with the children, those warm brown eyes sparkling with liveliness. She smiled softly and chuckled as he tossed a small boy into the air before catching him and swinging him around, eliciting gleeful laughter from the boy.

Jack soon finished with the children, gently shooing them off to go and explore the colorful vendor stands for snacks. He joined Rapunzel again, slightly out of breath, but his flushed face and sparkling eyes gave away the fact that he really didn't mind being tired out. Offering Rapunzel his arm, Jack led the way over to the edge of the village, stopping at the base of a large tree.

Jack reached up and took hold of a low branch, swinging himself easily up onto the limb before turning back to Rapunzel and offering his hand to her. Rapunzel grasped Jack's hand in hers and hauled herself up with his help. Jack led the way up into the boughs of the tree, stopping about halfway up and perching on a limb.

Rapunzel settled herself next to him, leaning against the trunk of the tree for support as Jack perched freely on the branch, obviously far more comfortable up in the air than she was. When she was steady, Rapunzel followed Jack's gaze out over the landscape before them and caught her breath in awe.

The spread before them showed miles and miles of treetops that varied in height and shades of green depending on how many leaves had sprouted in the early spring weather. In the far distance, mountains loomed up from the trees, foggy in color from being so far away and partially shrouded in clouds near the summits. Looking down below them, Rapunzel could see the entire village, colorful from the Festival decorations and lively with the bustle of the villagers roaming around. Looking over at Jack with her sparkling green irises, Rapunzel smiled widely and laughed.

"It's amazing up here, Jack," she said breathlessly, turning back to look out over the land.

Jack glanced over at Rapunzel and grinned, triumph coursing through him. He turned to look out over the landscape as well and shrugged.

"I usually climb up into trees so this view is quite familiar to me. I thought you might like to see it, since you've never left your house before. The world is so big and beautiful and filled with so many things. You never get to experience those things from the shelter of your little home."

Rapunzel's smile slipped away and she looked down at her feet, dangling freely from the tree branch. "I didn't ask to be cooped up inside all my life. I'm almost eighteen years old and I haven't been allowed outside since I was born. My Mother is just so overprotective of me since my father died. I'm all she has left."

Jack looked over at Rapunzel and slid his hand onto her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. He understood what it was like to lose a father, but he didn't want to tell Rapunzel that just yet. She seemed sad enough without Jack piling on his own problems for her to think about.

Rapunzel looked over at Jack and smiled softly, her eyes watery with unshed tears. She wiped at her eyes and sniffed quietly, looking back out over the landscape. Jack followed her gaze and watched the sun as it sank behind the mountains. He was thinking about how pretty the sky was becoming, being painted with the dark pink and orange and purple hues, when he suddenly remembered the Festival.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, causing Rapunzel to jump and stare at him like he had lost his mind. "C'mon Rapunzel! We gotta get back to the Festival or we'll miss the Lighting of the Lanterns!"

Rapunzel's eyes lit up when Jack mentioned the lanterns. "Oh! I've always wanted to see that! I usually watch from my window but I only see a few of the lanterns being lit from there."

Rapunzel started climbing down the tree, Jack dropping from branch to branch easily and waiting patiently for her to scramble down after him, guiding her down quickly and carefully. Jack dropped to the ground first and looked up for Rapunzel. He found her clinging to the last branch, staring at the ground apprehensively, the height obviously bugging her. Jack smiled and extended his arms towards her.

"C'mon, Rapunzel! I've got you!"

Rapunzel nodded and slipped her feet from the safety of the branch and dangled for a moment before dropping towards the ground. She squeezed her eyes shut, afraid of the impact. But it wasn't as bad as she had expected. Jack had softened the landing by taking most of her weight when he caught her.

Rapunzel opened her eyes and looked up at Jack, giving him a smile. "Thank you," she said quietly, her cheeks flushing a soft pink color.

Jack grinned back at her and took hold of Rapunzel's hand, pulling her along as they ran back to the village. By the time they got back, all the villagers were gathering in the darkening square and holding lanterns and candles, waiting until the sun had completely dipped below the horizon.

Releasing Rapunzel's hand, Jack rushed over to the only vendor that was still open and came back a moment later, holding out a small, round lantern with a sun painted on the material. It was the same sun that adorned the top of the pole in the center of the village. Jack held a lantern that was remarkably similar to Rapunzel's, the material only a slightly different color than hers.

Rapunzel took the lantern gratefully and held it gingerly, as if afraid that it might dissolve like the end of dream would at the moment of waking. She smiled at Jack and looked around the village at everyone holding their lanterns and eagerly anticipating the moment they could light their lanterns.

Jack held a lit candle and waited along with Rapunzel. It wasn't long after the village began to become covered in the inky blackness of night when Rapunzel moved to press against Jack's side, trembling from the chill the night brought and the darkness that she often feared. Jack smiled down at her comfortingly in the light of the flickering candle flame he held.

As he smiled at Rapunzel, a soft hum began to spread through the village. The villagers were beginning to hum a sweet tune that they always took up when it was time to the light the lanterns. When Rapunzel and Jack heard the hum, he smiled at Rapunzel and she took up the easy tune quickly, the sound soft and melodic. As the two teens hummed along with the village, Jack touched the candle flame to the wick of the lantern, filling it with light, before doing the same to Rapunzel's lantern.

Rapunzel paused her humming and leaned over to Jack, whispering, "What do we do now?"

Jack smiled and took Rapunzel's hand, leading her towards the center of the village with the rest of the villagers, still humming the tune. When the pair managed to get to the center of the village, in front of the large pole that was adorned in flower chains, Jack hung his lantern on a rope stretched around the chains, parallel to the ground, gesturing for Rapunzel to do the same. Once their lanterns had been hung, they wove back through the crowd to a more open space in the village square. Rapunzel and Jack stood facing each other in the lantern light glowing from the center of the square. Rapunzel looked at her feet and smiled before looking at Jack.

"Thank you for today, Jack. I'm really glad that you took me out today. I've always been so scared of the world but now I see that it really isn't that bad. And I got to meet you too."

Jack ducked his head and grinned, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. He opened his mouth to tell her that it was no big deal and that he was happy to meet her too, but before he could, Rapunzel had gone tense and her eyes were large with fright.

"Oh no! I need to get home before my Mother! If she finds out I'm gone she'll kill me!" Rapunzel turned to dash away, her eyes frantic and wild. Jack reached out and caught Rapunzel's wrist, pulling her back to face him.

"Wait! Will I get to see you again? Tomorrow during the Festival?" Rapunzel shook her head with a shrug and looked at her feet. Jack grasped Rapunzel's other hand and held both of them in his, pleading. "Please Rapunzel! I couldn't bear it if I never got to see you again."

Rapunzel looked up at Jack, her large green eyes filled with the reflection of the lantern light, glistening with emotion. "I don't know if I'll be able to slip away again, Jack," she whispered. "But, I'll try. Meet me at the base of the tree we climbed earlier today. If my Mother leaves when she usually does, then I should be there before noon." Rapunzel squeezed Jack's hands and smiled. "I'll try my hardest, but I really have to go."

Jack allowed Rapunzel's hands to slip away from his, watching as she lingered for a moment to look at him fondly before turning and running back towards her home, her short brown hair bobbing as she ran.

Jack lowered his hands from where he had been reaching towards Rapunzel and rested them over his chest. A warm feeling was spreading throughout him, filling him with a joy he hadn't known before.

Jack looked around at the villagers who were hanging lanterns outside of their homes to brighten the village along with the multitude of lanterns that hung from the centerpiece of the village. Smiling, Jack started to make his way back to his home, wondering about the warm feeling in his chest.

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**A/N: Okay, first I want to apologize. This should not have taken as long as it did to update but I wanted to make sure I got everything I wanted into this chapter conveyed well enough and then my editing buddy had to read it over so yeah. But hey! Here's another chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it and I LOVE getting review from you guys so if you see anything in this chapter you want to review, don't be afraid! I welcome constructive criticism.**

**And one other thing! I have a tumblr that you guys can track this story on! glowinglanternsgleam is my URL and I will track the tag #sunbeams and snowflakes. Thanks guys! I love you all!**


	3. The Call of Adventure

The second morning of the Festival broke with a colorful dawn and a warm breeze, setting a wonderfully cheery mood to the village and spreading hope throughout the townspeople. Jack in particular was filled with hope, but also a touch of anxiousness. He was bouncing around on his toes whenever he stood still and had his chores finished before his mother had set breakfast on the table for him. The prospect of possibly being able to spend yet another Festival day with Rapunzel was enough to keep Jack hyper with excitement and his heart fluttering with anticipation.

Jack couldn't seem to figure out why he felt so anxious around Rapunzel. He had only met her yesterday but there was something about her that set him in a flurry of happiness. Jack had stayed awake in his bed for a good while the previous night thinking it over, but had been unable to place the feeling. Eventually, he had given up, content with the fact that he was happy around Rapunzel.

It was close to noon and Jack was becoming more and more agitated with standing around in one spot so he decided to get out of the crowd of villagers and take a walk in the woods nearby. Jack went into the woods so often to be alone that he knew the trails like the back of his hand. He was completely comfortable in his surroundings, often times letting his guard down and climbing trees so he could just relax.

It was today that Jack found himself climbing a tree that was overhanging the pond that he had found the day before the Festival started, the first day he had seen Rapunzel from across the village. Jack smiled at the thought as he hauled himself up into the boughs of the overhanging tree. Perching himself in a sturdy fork of two branches, Jack leaned against the rough bark and looked out over the still frozen lake. The surface of the lake had been rather sturdy when Jack had tested it two days ago, but since the days and nights had been progressively getting warmer, he guessed that by the end of the week, if not sooner, the ice would be thawed out.

Sighing, Jack started swinging one dangling leg back and forth through the air, thinking about the past year for his family. They had almost lost Emma during summer last year when she had run off to chase a rabbit through the woods, scaring Jack's mother more than he had ever seen before. Jack and his father had spent the entire day searching the woods for his younger sister, finally locating her in a patch of wildflowers.

Jack found himself cringing at the thought of his father. He almost began to delve deeper into that thought process, but quickly stopped himself from doing so. Today was supposed to be light and happy, spent with Rapunzel and thinking idle thoughts that would make no difference to his life in days to come. Looking up through the arching branches of the trees, Jack spotted the sun nearing it's peak, reminding him that he had promised Rapunzel he would meet her at the base of the oak tree they had climbed yesterday at noon.

Jack easily maneuvered his way through the intertwining branches before leaping nimbly to the ground and taking off at a sprint towards the village. As Jack wove through the trees, a grin spread across his face as the wind whipped by around him. He glanced to his side as a flash of movement caught his eye, slowing down and turning towards it silently. Ducking behind a tree before peering out around it, Jack started to find that it was a woman, shrouded in a rich red velvet cloak, kneeling on the ground in front of a marker. He could hear her murmuring and strained to pick up what she was saying.

"…dear, I promise. I am going to spend the day here again with you, like we always used to during the Festival days. How I wish you were still here with me and our lovely daughter. She's grown up, but she's still too inexperienced for the world."

Jack walked backwards, having heard enough and ducked away without making a noise. As he picked up his pace, heading back to the village again, Jack couldn't help but wonder about the woman, figuring that from what he had heard, that was most likely Rapunzel's mother and that had been her father's grave. Jack wondered if Rapunzel had ever even been allowed to visit her father's grave.

Shaking his head, Jack dislodged the thoughts and tried to focus on his day with Rapunzel. Since he had seen her mother out in the woods, saying she would stay the whole day, Jack expected Rapunzel to be at the oak, waiting for him.

Upon his arrival, Jack was slightly surprised to see that Rapunzel wasn't at the tree yet; but as he approached, looking around in confusion, he spotted Rapunzel sprinting up to him, her face flushed and eyes bright.

"Sorry!" she gasped breathlessly. "I wanted to make sure that Mother was really gone for the day." Straightening up from the hunched position she had taken, Rapunzel let out a huff air and smiled warmly at Jack. "Nice to see you again today," she quipped cheerily. "What are we going to do today?"

Jack smiled and laughed. "It's good to see you too, Rapunzel." Jack tapped his chin and smirked, an idea springing into his head. "Well, since there's no big event happening at the Festival today, I was thinking that I could show you my new favorite spot in the woods." Jack extended his hand to Rapunzel, waiting for her to take hold of it so he could lead her into the forest.

But Rapunzel didn't take his hand. Instead she stepped back a pace, her green orbs large with fright. "I-in the woods?" she asked incredulously. "B-but I thought the woods were dangerous, everyone's afraid of them, aren't they?"

Jack smiled softly and walked over to Rapunzel, resting his hands on her shoulders as he looked down at her. "Rapunzel, I've been in the woods loads of times and look," Jack spread his arms wide. "I'm still here. It's normally during the winter months when everything is darker that the woods are frightening. And since it's daylight now and warmer too, we'll be fine. Besides," Jack grinned. "You have me to protect you."

Rapunzel smiled slowly and nodded after a moment's hesitation. She took Jack's outstretched hand and allowed him to lead her between the towering trunks of the woods.

It wasn't long before the pair reached the tree that Jack had been sitting in before. He had made sure to take a slightly different route than the one he had used to get back to the village, aware that Rapunzel's mother was probably still by the grave of her husband. Jack spread his arms wide in a sweeping gesture, showing off the pond and over hanging tree that he had been sitting in earlier. Rapunzel's eyes widened as an awed smile spread across her features.

"Wow, Jack!" she breathed. "It's amazing!"

Smiling proudly, Jack led Rapunzel over to the tree that stretched itself out over the pond and gave her a boost into the lowest branches before hauling himself up after her. The two wove their way between the slender boughs before settling against the trunk of the tree, perched on sturdy branches.

For a few minutes, the two were silent, simply watching the frozen pond and the light and shadows that played across the glimmering surface. Jack finally sighed and broke the silence by saying, "I come here fairly often when I just need to think, or just to get away from the village. Sometimes I just feel so cramped there. Like, I begin to feel as if that's where I'm going to spend the rest of my life. Don't get me wrong," he added hastily. "I love it there, really, but I also want to see the world. And it feels like the village is just a place that I can come back to, someplace to call home."

Jack glanced over at Rapunzel and was slightly startled to realize that he had her full attention. She was smiling softly at him and when their eyes met, she smiled even more.

"I understand you, Jack, really I do. My whole life I've been holed up in my home, and I just want to get out sometimes. Everyday I dream of what it must be like in other parts of the world, outside this little area that we've made home. There's got to be a million different places out there just waiting to be explored and we're stuck here."

"Well," Jack said after a moment. "Maybe, for now at least, this is where we are meant to be. Maybe we were meant to meet up here so we could go exploring together. Maybe something's going to happen and we need to be here for it. But I believe that someday, we'll be free from this place and get to go wherever we want to go."

Jack's brown irises had lit up with a passionate light that was now beginning to light in Rapunzel's green orbs. She nodded and leaned towards Jack, beginning to become more animated in their discussion.

"Imagine it," he said excitedly, leaning towards her as well. "Getting onto a ship and sailing across the biggest expanse of water in the world, destined for some foreign shore that holds adventure and mystery and fun!" Sighing, Rapunzel looked out over the little pond, imagining how miniscule it's surface must be to the tossing waves that topped the oceans of the world. "Oh the places we could go if only we could board a ship and travel wherever we pleased."

Rapunzel's eyes wandered away from Jack's as she sighed. "That all sounds fascinating, but honestly, I just want to explore the land that we're in first. You've already gotten that chance, but I want to just wander through the woods and see all the trees and flowers. And that mountain over there," Rapunzel said, pointing excitedly to the distant shadows of the mountains. "I want to go there. I want to climb up there and swim in the mountain streams and see how high I can get."

Jack found that he really loved watching Rapunzel talk about travelling around the world, exploring and such, adventuring and learning new things. He loved watching the passion of which she spoke of these things with. The light that sparked in her eyes and the animation in which she talked with enraptured him. He smiled at her and nodded his head in agreement.

The sun continued it's journey across the sky, descending towards the horizon on it's daily round, painting the skies with hues brighter than any painter could concoct from oils or clays. And all the while, the two young teens sat in the boughs of the tree over the pond and talked with an intense passion of the things they wished to see and the place they wanted to travel, taking no notice of the passing time that quickly slipped away.

It was only when the two took a moment to breath and look around did they notice the darkness that was beginning to creep between the trees, casting strange shadows on the ground. The two exchanged wild glances and immediately began climbing down from the tree. Jack hit the ground first and reached up to steady Rapunzel as she dropped. Once she was safely on the ground, Jack grasped her hand in his and the two raced along the path back to the village, praying that they would reach Rapunzel's home before her mother returned and found her daughter absent.

Slipping out from between the trees of the woods, Jack rushed Rapunzel towards her home and they both saw with relief that Rapunzel's mother had yet to return. Jack walked Rapunzel up to the door of her home, stopping her before she entered. Rapunzel looked at him curiously, her hand hovering on the knob of the door.

"What is it, Jack?" she said softly, an undertone of urgency evident in her voice. "My mother will be home soon and she mustn't know I've been away all afternoon."

"Tomorrow night's the village dance. All the teenagers get the square to themselves for the entire evening until dawn to dance and sing and it's just the teens. Would you like to go with me tomorrow night, Rapunzel?"

Rapunzel's face flushed with color and she looked down at her feet. "I-I would love to go with you, Jack. I'll find a way to get around my mother and I'll meet you in the square at dusk. I promise. This is one part of the Festival I refuse to miss."

Jack smiled broadly and bid Rapunzel goodnight, leaving her to shut her door behind him as he slipped away from her house and trotted across the village to his own. Upon entering his house, Jack found his mother preparing dinner for their family. She smiled at her son, being able to read by his expression that he had most likely spent the day with Rapunzel, whom he had told his mother all about the day before by the fire after Emma had gone to bed for the night.

"So," his mother said casually. "Did you ask her?"

Jack nodded and slid onto a chair at the table, watching as his mother moved the pot of soup from the fire so she could begin serving it into bowls. "And," she continued. "What did she say?"

Jack laughed at his mother's eagerness for knowledge and smirked before answering. "She agreed to go with me. That is, if she can get away from her mother for the night. I think she'll be able to manage it though."

Jack's mother shook her head as she ladled out the soup carefully. "Normally I wouldn't approve of Rapunzel's sneaking about but I think that he mother is too overprotective for her own good sometimes. I think you and Rapunzel are good for one another. You fit well together as a pair."

Jack's face flushed and he groaned good-naturedly. "Mother! Rapunzel's my friend."

Jack's mother chuckled as she carried the soup over to the table. Kissing her son's forehead she smiled down at him. "I know that, dear. But a mother can dream of her son finding someone who's just right for him, can't she? Now, would you go and fetch your sister from her room? We need to eat before this gets cold."

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**A/N: *hides* please don't hurt me! I'm so sorry! This shouldn't have taken as long as it did to update but I had a lot of shit going on at school so everything kind of slipped away. But here! Have a chapter and I swear the next chapter will be longer and better! I love you all! R&R please! I love to hear from you guys!**


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